Environmental NGO Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar yesterday condemned the granting of a permit for the “massive and disproportionate project at Xemxija, considering that the tall buildings policy had specifically excluded this ridge where the buildings will dominate an iconic landscape”.

The FAA said the design fell far short of what would be aesthetically acceptable, while the whole ethos of allowing tall buildings in order to leave open landscaped areas was betrayed by the fact that a significant percentage of those open areas would be closed to the public.

Design far short of what is acceptable

The NGO said Mepa failed to consider that residences all the way down to the seashore would be thrown into deep shade, just as it ignored the Halcrow Report stating that no more development should be allowed in this area due to traffic problems.

It added that in dropping its objection, Transport Malta insulted local residents in claiming that the traffic situation was already so bad that adding heavy construction vehicles and another 1,500 cars to the area would not make a difference.

FAA asked how the Xemxija sewage system, which could not cope with the existing households, was going to handle a further 744 apartments, and whether the taxpayer would be footing the bill for the upgrade of essential services.